Government Portals, Apps and Digital Initiatives of India: DigiLocker, UMANG, UPI, e-Shram, GeM and More for SSC
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
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PDF Notes: Government Portals, Apps and Digital Initiatives of India: DigiLocker, UMANG, UPI, e-Shram, GeM and More for SSC
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India has built a large digital public infrastructure, and questions on government portals, apps and digital schemes are a regular part of SSC current affairs and general awareness. This guide on government portals, apps and digital initiatives for SSC gives the launch year, the purpose and the department behind each important platform, with practice questions and FAQs.
Core Digital Initiatives
| Initiative | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Digital India | 1 July 2015 | Programme to make government services available electronically and to improve internet connectivity |
| Aadhaar (UIDAI) | 2009 (UIDAI); first number issued in 2010 | 12-digit unique identity number; the Aadhaar Act was passed in 2016 |
| Jan Dhan Yojana | 28 August 2014 | Bank account for every household |
| MyGov | 2014 | Platform for citizen participation in governance |
| Skill India | 15 July 2015 | Skill training for youth |
| Startup India | 16 January 2016 | Support for entrepreneurs and startups |
| Make in India | 25 September 2014 | Promote manufacturing in India |
| PM Gati Shakti | October 2021 | Digital master plan for infrastructure projects |
| National Education Policy | 2020 | Replaced the 1986 policy |
| Bharat Net | 2011 (as NOFN) | Optical fibre connectivity to gram panchayats |
Digital Services and Apps
| Platform | Purpose | Details |
|---|---|---|
| DigiLocker | Digital storage of documents | Launched in 2015; documents issued in DigiLocker are legally valid like originals |
| UMANG | Unified Mobile App for New-age Governance | Launched in 2017; access to many central and state services in one app |
| Aarogya Setu | Covid-19 contact tracing and health information | Launched in April 2020 |
| CoWIN | Registration for Covid-19 vaccination | Launched in 2021 |
| e-Shram | National database of unorganised workers | Launched on 26 August 2021 by the Ministry of Labour and Employment |
| GeM (Government e-Marketplace) | Online procurement by government departments | Launched on 9 August 2016 by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry |
| eNAM (National Agriculture Market) | Online trading platform for agricultural commodities | Launched on 14 April 2016 |
| ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) | Open network for e-commerce | Launched in 2022 by DPIIT |
| mParivahan, Sarthi | Vehicle and driving licence services | Ministry of Road Transport and Highways |
| Passport Seva | Online passport services | Ministry of External Affairs |
| FASTag | Electronic toll collection | National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) |
| Income Tax e-filing portal | Online filing of income tax returns | Income Tax Department |
Digital Payments
| Platform | Details |
|---|---|
| UPI (Unified Payments Interface) | Launched by the NPCI in April 2016; instant mobile-based payment system; used in many countries now |
| BHIM | The app launched in December 2016 by the NPCI and named after B. R. Ambedkar |
| NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) | Set up in 2008; operates RuPay, UPI, IMPS, NACH and Bharat BillPay |
| RuPay | The indigenous card payment network of the NPCI, launched in 2012 |
| e-RUPI | Prepaid voucher for specific services, launched in 2021 |
| Digital Rupee (e₹) | The central bank digital currency of the RBI; pilots started in December 2022 |
| Account Aggregator | Framework for sharing financial data with the consent of the user |
| GST Network (GSTN) | The IT backbone of the Goods and Services Tax, which was launched on 1 July 2017 |
Important Government Schemes with Digital Links
| Scheme | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| PM-KISAN | 2019 | Income support of 6,000 rupees a year to farmer families in three instalments |
| Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY | 2018 | Health cover of 5 lakh rupees per family per year |
| Swachh Bharat Mission | 2 October 2014 | Cleanliness campaign and toilets |
| Ujjwala Yojana | 2016 | LPG connections to poor households |
| Atal Pension Yojana | 2015 | Pension scheme for unorganised workers |
| PM Mudra Yojana | 2015 | Loans to small businesses |
| Stand-Up India | 2016 | Loans to SC, ST and women entrepreneurs |
Tricks to Remember
- UMANG is an app of many services; DigiLocker is for documents; e-Shram is for unorganised workers; GeM is for government purchases.
- The NPCI created UPI, RuPay and BHIM.
- eNAM and GeM were both launched in 2016.
- The year 2015 saw Digital India, Skill India, Atal Pension and Mudra.
- The word “Aadhaar” has 12 digits; the Virtual ID has 16 digits.
Quick Tips
- Learn the launch year and the department of each platform.
- Group the digital payment platforms under the NPCI.
- Remember the difference between UMANG and DigiLocker.
- Note the 2014–2016 launches in one list.
Quick Revision Points
- Digital India was launched on 1 July 2015.
- UPI was launched by the NPCI in 2016.
- DigiLocker is for documents; UMANG is a one-stop app.
- e-Shram is the database of unorganised workers.
- GeM is for government procurement.
Practice Questions With Answers
- In which year was Digital India launched?
Answer: 2015 - Which platform is used for storing documents digitally?
Answer: DigiLocker - Which organisation runs UPI?
Answer: NPCI - Which database covers unorganised workers?
Answer: e-Shram - Which platform is used for government procurement?
Answer: GeM - Which app is called a unified mobile app for new-age governance?
Answer: UMANG - Which is the indigenous card network of the NPCI?
Answer: RuPay - Which scheme gives 5 lakh rupees health cover per family?
Answer: Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY - Which platform is for agricultural trade online?
Answer: eNAM - Which body developed the digital rupee?
Answer: Reserve Bank of India
How to Practise This Chapter
Practise 10 questions every day and write the steps on paper. Then attempt timed sets from our practice papers and the previous year papers page. See all topics on the Current Affairs notes page, read the previous topic Indices and Reports and the next topic Defence Missiles and Equipment of India.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Digital India launched?
On 1 July 2015.
What is DigiLocker?
A government platform to store and share documents digitally.
What is UMANG?
A single mobile app for many government services.
What is UPI?
A real-time mobile payment system developed by the NPCI.
What is e-Shram?
A national database of unorganised workers.
What is GeM?
The Government e-Marketplace for public procurement.
What is eNAM?
An online trading platform for agricultural commodities.
What is ONDC?
An open network for digital commerce launched in 2022.
What is the digital rupee?
The central bank digital currency of India issued by the RBI.
What is PM-KISAN?
An income support scheme giving 6,000 rupees a year to farmer families.
Is this topic asked in SSC?
Yes. Government portals and apps are asked in current affairs.
Who runs the NPCI?
It is an umbrella organisation for retail payments promoted by the RBI and banks.
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Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
Rahul is a senior SSC exam strategist with 8+ years of experience helping aspirants crack CGL, CHSL and MTS exams. He writes in-depth notification breakdowns, exam pattern guides and preparation strategies.